I see that there is yet another cost to some riders. a friend of mine now faces a bill of over hundred pounds to cover this extra insurance that has been brought in. after all that has gone on this year with the extra exspence he is thinking this will be his last year. He is a front runner in his class. how many more will be thinking the same. we are only normal wage earning people. The course is brilliant, if it wasn't then many would have stopped coming long ago. We need a riders rep to represent the average entrant. not just the money men.

I think eventually the situation will sort itself out Don in that the riders will go wherever they can afford to go. In my case, since my entry for the Manx was turned down in 2004 because the organisers didnt like what I said, Ive been going to Ireland instead, which Id never done before, and also to the Southern 100 this year which Id never done before, Im even thinking of making a "comeback" at Scarboro' for the last meeting, where I havent been for at least 20 years. At last years/ this years meetings in Ireland theres usually been around 40/50 Newcomers, some from this side of the water, so I guess thats what others are doing as well, whilst entries for the MGP have been down (apart from 2002) every year since 2000. I suppose the organisers will come to the obvious conclusion, eventually.

Well I have been speaking to several riders this year, at the Southern and Skerries, who are treating this year's Manx as their last. They are either reading the signs that no further meetings are going to be held, due mainly to the financial aspects i.e. no profit being made on it! or simply because they know that they won't be able to get the required 6 meetings in for next year! Everyone is very sorry to come to this conclusion but all seem to think that they have no choice.

Reading between the lines on what MAGGIE says about riders making it their last due to costs etc. Makes you wonder how they'll treat their last
ride. I sincerely hope they all treat the TT course with respect and respect their fellow riders ! Some don't, I've seen it with my own eyes. And yes I
still go back for more because I love the course so much but I always
treat it with respect, and I mean no disrepect to others. Excuse my English if you don't understand what I'm putting across !

I wasn't referring to the increased Insurance payments in my posting as the conversations I had with the various riders took place before this new ruling. But what is going to happen to people who ARE ACU licence holders? I know of a rider who had an accident in Northern Ireland and when approached, the insurance company said that he was not sufficiently covered to be flown back to England by Air Ambulance. I seem to remember a similar case recently but can't remember where I read about it.

I think I have perhaps mis-read the original post from SM. I read it as a complaint about the increased cost of insurance, (not a complaint about increased costs across the board)

....But I hope my posting explains the reasons for the increased insurance costs.

ACU licence holders are covered automaticly for ACU events and of course for the purposes of an event on the IOM they are also covered for medical cost by the fact that there is a NHS.

Riders from Ireland are MCUI licenced and as such are caught for this increased premium for increased cover. However MCUI licence holders from Northern Ireland which for the time being is part of the UK and therefore part of the NHS are I feel being unfairly expected to pay for this extra cover which is totally unneeded. If a Northern Irish rider needs hospital treatment he/she will get it on the IOM from the NHS and the cost of getting him her home if injured was easilly covered by the FIM minium.
As are Southern Irish Riders in a EU wide health care agreement between the EU countries.

I'm sure Larry Devlin can explain this in a much better way than me.
He IS the insurance expert

Im sure he can, Cargo, but, is he actually allowed to do this, by his profession?

Damn sure he is, Colin.

Right kiddies, back to square one.

The FIM, in their infinite wisdom, make it compulsory that all competitors riding outside their own Federation's territory have in place insurance for necessary Medical Expenses up to a minimum of US$15,000 and Repatriation up to a minimum of US$5,000.

Thus, of course, the new requirements do not affect in any way ACU/SACU Licenceholders who, in the IOM, are competing in their own Federation's territory.

As to MCUI riders, and as Cargo rightly says, these, whether from North or South, are not going to fall foul of Medical Expenses charges, so some time ago I/we persuaded Insurers that cover should be provided for US$20,000 in respect of "Medical Expenses &/or Repatriation".

Thus, if necessary, the entire Insured Benefit could be used for Repatriation.

In recent years, experience has shown that this amount has been sufficient to repatriate riders to Ireland, North or South, whether fatally injured or otherwise.

Now, as regards James Cornell and to begin with, I am surprised at Charlie's quoted figure of US$50,000 cover. As noted above, the FIM Minimum covers required are US$15,000/5,000.

Be that as it may, whatever there was it wasn't enough, and while the Manx Government have, as I understand it, at least partially funded the costs, I expect that they have said to the Manx MCC "Don't let that happen again"

In response, the Manx MCC, as is their entitlement, have jacked up the required levels of Benefit as noted.

Cargo's point is valid in that MCUI Licenceholders are very unlikely to require anything above the current FIM Minimums, but I would think that, to be on the safe side, a relatively small increase would be desirable.

But not to a total of US$258,000 :!:

We should not be lumped in with the rest of the world in this context, and ideally a graduated range of compulsory Benefits should apply.

That, however, would require the Manx MCC to ask their ACU Insurance Brokers & Underwriters to sit down and think logically.

No --- don't go there :wink:

In closing, and as the Manx MCC are anxious to point out, they make no money from these increased premiums (premia :?: ).

Charlie is correct is saying that the money goes to the Insurers, at least until another American rider does it wrong again.

Experience tells us that it'll be quite some time until this happens once more, but then again my crystal ball is far from clear . . . . . . . .

Finally, a historical note.

You might think that the FIM makes these covers compulsory in the interest of the riders.

Don't you believe it . . . . . . .

It all started in 1958 when a former World Champion was killed in a race on the Continent.

The family couldn't afford to ship the body home and the expenses were borne by the race organiser, who subsequently went bankrupt.

Now the FIM is nothing if not a gathering of race organisers, so they decreed that none of their number would go bust in the future - to achieve this, they placed the compulsory onus on the riders to have insurance against these expenses.

Tell me that nothing changes :!: :!: :!:

Hii! Larry, I didn't think it would be long before you made your presence known, and far more authoritively than me :oops:

The figure of $50,000 was the one that was given to me, and I have absolutely no doubt that your figure is the correct one....

....But the basic reason for the insurance rises is of course repatriation costs, MediVac etc. and 'please god' the insurers make 100% profit and never have to payout one euro, pound or dollar.